Patience is a virtue. But it is also a Fruit of the Spirit and it is an aspect of God’s nature. He is patient, but he is not patient without purpose.
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.2 Peter 3:9
God is patient because he is a God of redemption. God is patient precisely because he longs to save sinners and restore them to right relationship with him.
How should we respond to God’s patience?
- God’s patience should drive us to praise him for his love in providing salvation for us. I struggle to be patient with people who have been instructed and given multiple opportunities to do right, but not God. He is patient with us. He is patient because he would rather save us than punish us.
- God’s patience should compel us toward evangelism. The motto of South Carolina is Du Spiro Spero which translates to “While I live, I hope.” Because of God’s patiences we know that while there is breath, there is hope. All who call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. That hardened heart friend for whom you have prayed…While there is breath there is hope becauce God is pateient.
- God’s patience should compel us to be patient with others. When we begin to wrap our minds around all that we have done to dishonor God and all the patience he has shown towards us, it shoudl humble us. Even more, when we consider the multitude of places in the Scripture where we are commanded to be imitators of God, we should recognize that a crucial aspect of our imitation of God is achieved as we exercise patience toward others.
Patienced doesn’t come naturally for most people, but that is OK. The Fruit of the Spirit come about from supernatural power. The infusion of the Holy Spirit into our lives brings about change, and one of those changes we most need is patience. May God grant to each of us measures of grace necessary to help us imitate him in his grace.
